INDIANAPOLIS — A maintenance man accused of killing a 15-year-old girl at her apartment complex in October is officially charged with her murder.

Tevis Walker, 34, appeared in court for the second time this week where the judge ordered no bond until his trial.

Police say on the morning of Oct. 28, Walker shot and killed Janiya Carr and left her body in a tree line at the Carriage House East apartments.

That’s where he lived and worked as a maintenance man. It’s also where Carr and her family lived.

Walker appeared in court wearing a red prison jumpsuit.

Judge James Osborn went over Walker’s rights and ordered a court-appointed attorney to represent him.

Osborn asked Walker a series of questions, including if he had a job and any financial responsibilities. Walker told the judge he had three kids under the age of 18.

That set off a wave of emotions from Carr’s mom. She spoke with 13News after the hearing.

“I don’t’ even know what to say. It hurts,” said Demetria Brown, Carr’s mom.

Carr’s family also wants to meet the woman who discovered her body and immediately told authorities.  

According to court documents, a woman was walking her dog around noon on Nov. 1 on Aristocrat North Drive in the Carriage House East Apartments when she noticed what appeared to be a dead body.

That woman reportedly went to the Indianapolis Fire Department on 42nd Street to alert them.

“If we could just meet her, maybe she doesn’t want to show her face, maybe a phone call to my sister, that would be really appreciated,” said Ryanne Burnette, Carr’s aunt.

Burnette said it would provide the family some comfort.

Walker faces a maximum of 60 years in prison if he’s found guilty. He is due back in court for a jury trial in February 2023.

According to court documents, police looked through surveillance video from the Carriage House East Apartments.

Video from Oct. 28 allegedly shows Carr walk up to a 2018 black Kia Optima, talk to the driver and then get in the passenger seat before the car drives away.

Police said the license plate on the 2018 black Kia Optima is registered to Walker.

According to court documents, Walker is a maintenance worker at the Carriage House East Apartments, and police said he also lives in the building where Carr was found behind.

Court documents say Walker had arrest warrants out of Florida for narcotics and a handgun offense, as well as an unknown warrant out of Georgia.

According to court documents, officers stopped Walker near 86th Street and Shadeland Avenue. 

Detectives spoke with Walker, who allegedly said he picked up a female — who claimed she recognized him from being around the area, but he didn’t know her name — to drive her several miles east to buy an iPad.

Walker told police the person who was going to sell the iPad never showed up, so Walker said he drove her back.

Police looked through more surveillance video, which allegedly showed Walker go in through the passenger side door. Moments later, “what appears to be a muzzle flash” is seen on the top of the rear passenger window, according to police. 

Investigators claim Walker can then be seen driving into the grass behind his building Oct. 28 around 5:20 a.m. The video allegedly shows the car’s lights turn off, and movement can be seen, but the view is not clear.

Video then allegedly shows Walker walking from the car to the dumpster twice and then appeared to put something in the car’s truck.

Later, police claim video shows Walker leave his apartment, get something out of the trunk of his car and walk to the spot in the woods where Carr’s body was later found. The video allegedly shows Walker in that area for 11 minutes before Walker walks back to his car and then into his apartment.

Demetria Boston, Carr’s mother, said she last spoke to her daughter over the phone Friday night.

“I don’t know how to live with this pain, all I ask is for justice. I just want justice,” Boston said.

Police reports show Boston reported her daughter as a runaway the morning of Oct. 30. She told 13News Carr had left the home for short periods of time before.

“My daughter has never run away and if she has, it’s only been for a day, and her text messages always send, ‘I love you my dear,’” Boston said. “I’m not going to get that no more.”

Wednesday, Boston got a call from police. They found Carr in the woods near her home.

“It may not be what you want to hear, but you’ve got to get the truth, and I’m glad,” Boston said. “It could’ve lingered on and kept going and her body just left, and there were days where I would still have to figure it out. But I’m glad that whatever happened, they were still able to find my baby.”

Boston said she has no idea who could’ve done this to her daughter.

“My daughter didn’t hurt nobody,” Boston said. “She has so many friends that are hurt behind this. Why is all I want to know, why? I know my daughter went out with a fight. I know her, she is a fighter.”

Gene B. Glick Company released the following statement on the incident: 

“The Gene B. Glick Company was shocked and deeply saddened by the fatal shooting of Janiya Carr, a teenage resident of Carriage House East in Indianapolis. We mourn with her family and friends and our entire Carriage House East community over this senseless tragedy.

We are aware that a Carriage House East employee has been arrested for this crime. Throughout its investigation, we, including our community’s private security force, comprised of off-duty IMPD officers, have been working closely with and providing information to IMPD and their detectives and investigators. We will continue to actively assist and cooperate with the investigation, but we cannot provide any further details at this time which may impact or impede the ongoing investigation.”

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact Det. Jeremy Ingram at the IMPD Homicide Office at 317-327-3475 or email [email protected].

Tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-8477.